Outcasts
by CarriePoppins
Summary: Welcome to a world where people with Quirks are a rarity considered less than human and find themselves mercilessly hunted by friends and foes alike. In these trying circumstances, a young girl stripped of all she loves finds herself rescued by a mysterious stranger...
1. Chapter 1

June 27, XX19

Ochako ran.

She'd been running for weeks now - always moving, sleeping only for a few hours at a time, grabbing food wherever she could find it. She couldn't let them catch her, no matter how many times she felt tempted to give up. If she did, that would make her parents' sacrifice meaningless.

Why couldn't she have kept it hidden? Why had she tried to save that boy? Why had she assumed that he would keep his mouth shut just because she helped him? She was a monster, after all. A Horror. Feared by everyone as less than human, thanks to the government's awful propaganda campaign. And now her parents…

She dashed aside her tears.

She couldn't afford to cry. It would only slow her down.

"Over there!"

Crap!

She ducked behind another tree and sprinted off at an angle, praying that they would lose sight of her in the thick foliage of the forest.

"I think I see her!"

"This way!"

Her breathing was ragged. Her heart was pounding. She couldn't continue on like this. She couldn't. She had to. She had to survive; she'd promised she would survive! She had to get away!

In desperation, she tried to use her Quirk, pressing the pads of her fingers together and willing herself to float - maybe if she could make it up to the treetops, she could lose them! But weeks of malnourishment and exhaustion had taken their toll. She wasn't strong enough to float much more than a pebble right now.

Suddenly, Ochako's foot caught in a hole obscured by the thick layer of leaves covering the forest floor. She uttered a sharp cry of surprise, collapsing forward and catching herself on her wrists. Pain shot up her right arm as it suddenly gave out. She felt her shoulder hit, then her head, but none of it hurt as badly as her wrist. Gasping through the pain, she struggled to her knees, holding her injured arm close to her chest and blinking tears from her eyes, then forced herself to her feet, hissing as she tried to put her weight on her ankle. She couldn't tell if it was sprained or twisted, but it wasn't in good shape.

"There! She's right over there!"

Ochako twisted back, her pain quickly transforming into panic as she made out the black uniforms rushing inexorably closer. Swallowing back a sob, she forced herself to keep going, stumbling forward another few steps before half-collapsing against the next tree.

Then suddenly, she was surrounded. A dozen anonymous men, wrapped in those impersonal black masks, each of them leveling an AK-47 straight at her.

"We have you now, monster," a man smiles coldly, stepping forward. He's the only one who isn't wearing anything over his face. His black hair is long and shaggy, and his eyes are a rare, reddish color. "I'll admit you gave us quite the chase, but it's over now."

"Leave me alone," Ochako whimpered. "Please, just… Just leave me alone."

"Like hell, Horror. You're the epitome of everything that's wrong with society. The incarnation of evil festering under the surface of our world."

"I'm not evil!" she protested in return, shrinking into herself. "I don't want to hurt anyone; I just wanted to live a normal life with my family! What right do you people have to take that away from me?! What right… What right did you have to kill the- Ahh!"

She screamed as a surge of electricity shot through her, barely managing to turn her head enough to see one of the soldiers standing behind her, pressing a taser into her side. All at once, the pain stopped, leaving a terrible taste in her mouth and sending her collapsing to her knees with a desperate sob that she could no longer hold back.

"I don't expect a monster like you to understand," the leader sneers, his face looming over her. "Tie her up. Prepare her for transport."

"Yes si- Oof!"

"What the- Agh!"

"It's him! It's De- Gah!"

Ochako managed to force her eyes open just enough to catch sight of a flash of color that she couldn't quite register before something, or rather someone, swept her into their arms. Then came a rush of movement and a sensation of weightlessness as her savior rocketed into the air, then nauseatingly fast changes in direction that had her squeezing her eyes shut and pressing her face into the person's shoulder, the fingers of her uninjured hand curling into a thin shirt stretched over a broad, probably male chest.

Then, all at once, it was over.

Slowly, Ochako blinked her eyes dazedly open. All she could see was green. Green needles, green light, green shirt, green hair, and green eyes gazing down at her with a gentle smile. She couldn't explain why, but the expression immediately made her feel safe, like this person could handle anything those men could throw at him. He glanced momentarily away, then snapped back to her face. A finger slipped into her field of vision, beckoning for silence. She nodded uncertainly, knowing that she was in no position to argue as he gently lowered her to the grou- branch. This was definitely a branch.

They appeared to be nestled in the branches of a giant conifer, one of those with thick, bushy bunches of needles on the ends and lots of hollow space in the middle. They were pretty high up by the look of things, at least forty feet off the ground, where the branches were starting to thin out, but could still hold the weight of a single person. Which would explain why her savior stood precariously balanced on one of the branches next to her, rather than the same one. She nervously wrapped one arm around the trunk, taking a moment to look him over more carefully.

He was young, probably about her own age, dressed in worn, slightly over-sized cargo pants and a green t-shirt. His arms were firm and toned, although as he shifted, she could make out a series of puckered, livid scars covering his right arm. He looked tan, probably from spending extended periods of time outside, and had a smattering of freckles over his cheeks. His green hair was messy and stuck up everywhere, and his equally green eyes were calm and serious, narrowed in concentration towards the needle-strewn ground below them.

Who was he? Why had he come to her rescue? And how had he managed to get her away so quickly, not to mention to the top of a tree?! She wanted to ask so many things, but she knew that even the slightest noise risked their discovery. Especially now that she could vaguely hear the angry voices of the soldiers sweeping the forest, desperately searching for their escaped quarry.

Ochako lost track of how long they remained there, waiting with bated breath until the soldiers moved on, searching another section of the forest. Even after they left, he indicated for her to wait, possibly for close to another hour, until the sun was starting to set and he was absolutely certain that the danger had passed. Then he turned to her, concern palpable in those gentle green eyes.

"Where are you hurt?" he asked softly, his voice quiet and kind.

"It's mostly my arm and ankle, really," Ochako whispered back, twitching the limbs in question.

"Mind if I take a look?"

"S-Sure. I mean no. I mean… g-go ahead," Ochako blushed, glancing away as she extended her wrist to him. He smiled slightly at her stuttering, then took her arm and turned it gently, concern touching his expression again.

"It's pretty swollen," he murmured. "There's a chance it's broken, or at least sprained. Your ankle looks pretty bad too, but that might also be because you were running so hard before. Either way, you shouldn't put weight on either for awhile."

"Oh," Ochako mumbled. If that was true, then it meant she couldn't be on her own for awhile. Where would she go?

"Listen," the boy began hesitantly, "I know that you don't know me, like, at all, but… I know someplace safe where you can hide out for awhile. If you'd like, I could take you there?"

Ochako stared at him, absolutely stunned by his offer. Did he know that she was a Horror? Would he abandon her the moment that he found out? But wait, he must have known that was why those soldiers were after her, right? "I… I couldn't put you in danger like that," she stuttered.

"No, it's okay, really," he smiled at her, his eyes soft and encouraging. "We're all kind of on the run, so it's nice to stick together, you know?"

"You're all… So wait, you mean… Are you also…?"

"A Horror?" he finished for her, glancing away as his smile turned slightly rueful. "Yes. There are lots of us out here, hidden away from the government and their informants. We're like a little family." The boy looked up at her then, his green eyes bright and hopeful. "You could join us, if you like."

A family.

She couldn't help the tears pricking the corners of her eyes at his words. Was that possible? Could it really be that simple? "I… I'd… I mean…" she stuttered, more than a little overwhelmed by his offer.

"You don't have to decide now," he reassured her, "but at the very least, you could come and let our nurse take a closer look at your injuries and tell you exactly what's wrong. Then, once you've healed up, you can choose what you want to do."

"I… I would like that. Yes. Please," Ochako whispered shyly, glancing away.

"Okay then," he beamed, as though he could light up the world with his smile. "Would you prefer that I carry you like earlier, or ride piggy-back?"

Ochako blushed, suddenly remembering their rapid flight through the forest, the feeling of being cradled against his firm chest in what was essentially bridal-style. She wouldn't deny that it had felt nice - safe, and secure - but her dignity demanded that she pass this time, instead opting for the piggy-back ride. He readily agreed, but still suggested that he carry her down the tree at least, so that he could better judge space and keep her from getting hurt. She gave her consent, and he quickly gathered her up in his arms. A moment later, she gasped as she watched a rush of power fill the boy's body, causing soft green sparks to flash across his skin before he leaped down the tree, branch by branch, with near-impossible balance and coordination.

"You've done this a lot, haven't you," Ochako gasped breathlessly as they reached the ground and he carefully propped her up against the trunk of the tree.

"Yeah," he blushed, rubbing the back of his neck as the sparks faded away. "I spend a lot of time out here with my friends."

"Friends," she repeated, a little bit amazed by the concept. She'd never been allowed the luxury of friends over the years. Friends were dangerous. Anyone who got too close could discover her true nature. But here, this boy was telling her that it could all change. That she didn't have to be alone anymore.

She blinked, startled out of her thoughts, as he crouched in front of her, indicating for her to climb onto his back. After a moment of surprise, she obliged him, slipping her arms around his neck and settling herself against him. She blushed as he reached back, gripping her thighs securely to keep her from slipping off, then those warm green sparks covered his body again and they were off.

She gasped at his speed, clutching him a bit tighter in spite of the pain shooting up her arm as they practically flew through the forest, reaching the mountainside - a distance of at least five miles - in a matter of minutes! It made her wonder how far they'd managed to get just in those few seconds following her rescue.

At the top of a cliff that her rescuer scaled with more speed and grace than a mountain goat, he stopped, suddenly growing tense. "M-Mr. Aizawa! Mr. Yagi!" he stuttered, the tips of his ears turning red. "Fancy seeing the two of you here!"

"Midoriya," a voice growled warningly. "Where have you been?"

Curious, Ochako peered over his shoulder, taking in the sight of two tall men, one with long, shaggy black hair, a long-sleeved black shirt with matching pants, an over-long white scarf and dark, piercing eyes, and the second gaunt with wild blond hair, like a lion's mane, his eyes an intense blue.

"Well, uh, funny story actually…" the boy began with a nervous laugh.

"No, don't tell me," the dark-haired man sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "The answer is staring right at me. How many times do I have to tell you not to try to pull this kind of thing alone?!"

Ochako's rescuer winced slightly at the man's tone while helping her climb down, quickly providing an arm of support as she swayed precariously on one foot. "I didn't have much choice, Mr. Aizawa."

"Don't give me that bull, boy," 'Mr. Aizawa' warned him.

"Give young Midoriya a break, Aizawa," the gaunt man interrupted, laying a hand on his companion's shoulder. "He rescued the girl and came back safely. That's what's important, right?"

"You need to quit encouraging him to be so reckless, Yagi. Fine, we'll discuss it in the morning. So who's this?"

"This is… um… A-Actually, I forgot to ask your name, didn't I?" the boy blushed, stuttering awkwardly.

"Oh! I'm Ochako. Ochako Uraraka."

"I'm Shouta Aizawa. This is Toshinori Yagi, and that reckless idiot next to you is Izuku Midoriya. Welcome to the family, Ms. Uraraka."


	2. Chapter 2

_April 26, XX05_

_"Momo! Momo, come here!"_

_"Hi Mr. Shota! Welcome home! Oh…"_

_"Momo, I want you to meet Ms. Inko and Izuku. They'll be staying with us from now on."_

_"Hello there, Momo. It's very nice to meet you. I love your pretty braid."_

_"Th-Thank you."_

_"Come here, Izuku. Don't be shy."_

_"Hi. I'm Izuku."_

_"H-Hi. I'm Momo."_

_"Do you like books?"_

_"Y-Yeah."_

_"Me too."_

_"Yeah? Have you read this one?"_

_"Hmm, I don't think so. Is it good?"_

_"Yeah! Come on, I'll read it with you!"_

.oOo.

June 28, XX19

When Ochako jerked awake, she had no idea where she was. Her heart immediately started racing, and she began to struggle to sit up, a part of her instinctively seeking her nearest escape route.

"Ah, so you're up now are you, sweetie?"

The girl flinched, her brown hair swinging around her face as she turned towards the kindly, slightly croaky voice. She blinked, taking in a short, elderly woman dressed in a nurse's smock and a lab coat with silver-gray hair tied in a bun at the top of her head. She cocked her head slightly, her expression softening even further. "Can you remember who I am, dear? You passed out so quickly yesterday, I understand if you're a little confused."

Slowly, Ochako's memory returned. The green-eyed boy that saved her, the journey through the forest, the two men that welcomed them, and then flashes of this woman's kind face and a warm rush of energy flowing through her and pinpointing her wrist and ankle.

That's right. Yesterday, that boy had explained that the nurse possessed a healing Quirk. Still a little groggy, she gazed down at her right hand, curling it back and forth, testing out the newly-healed joint. A name formed on her tongue. "Miss… Chiyo," she said slowly.

"That's right, dearie," the woman smiled, her expression brightening again. "I could tell that you were over-tired when Izuku brought you to me yesterday, but I'll admit that I didn't expect you to collapse immediately after treatment."

Izuku…

The boy who saved her. The one that had offered her a home and a family. A family that she had yet to meet, in fact. Aizawa had sent them straight to the nurse the day before, so she didn't get a chance to see anyone.

"How long have you been on your own?" the nurse called as she turned to her desk, scribbling something down in a notebook.

"I'm honestly not sure, ma'am. I haven't really had a way to keep track. But my best guess… maybe close to two months?"

Miss Chiyo's head snapped up, her eyes wide with surprise. "Really? I don't know that any of our kids have managed to keep clear of the military that long on their own, at least not while being actively pursued."

Ochako shrugged, glancing away. "My parents always knew that I might have to fend for myself some day, so they had me take all kinds of survival and self-defense courses, just in case."

"That was very wise of them. I wish I could have met them."

Ochako didn't answer. She couldn't, not without bursting into tears. And she couldn't do that. She couldn't. Her parents had given everything to keep her alive. Wishing that they were still here… somehow, it felt disrespectful. Like she was disregarding their hopes and dreams for her.

A knock sounded at the door, followed by a muffled request to enter. Miss Chiyo called back her permission, and a moment later a familiar figure slipped inside.

"Ochako!" the green-haired boy beamed, his eyes bright and eager as he hurried to her side. "It's good to see you up. How do you feel?"

"Izuku," she smiled back, a faint blush coloring her cheeks again. "I'm feeling a lot better than last night, at least. I haven't tried walking yet, but I can move my wrist without any pain."

"That's good," he sighed, a previously unseen tension leaking out of his shoulders. "Well, unfortunately you've slept through breakfast, but are you feeling up to lunch?"

"Lunch?" Ochako perked up instantly, and her new friend grinned in reply.

"I'll take that as a yes. Miss Chiyo? Is she discharged?"

"Yes, she's good to go," the nurse chuckled. "Take care of her, alright Sonny?"

"Of course, ma'am. C'mon, Ochako."

The brunette bowed briefly to Miss Chiyo in thanks, then allowed Izuku to lead her out of the little clinic. "Wow," she breathed, surveying her surroundings in absolute awe. It had been too dark to tell last night, but they were nestled in an almost perfectly bowl-shaped natural valley. There was a glass-like lake in the center, fed by a mountain river winding lazily around green, cultivated fields. The occasional small house dotted the hillside, but the most impressive structure was the mansion literally built into the side of the hill next to the clinic. Ochako gaped up at it, hardly able to comprehend that a house easily fifteen or twenty times the size of her family's humble old apartment could even exist.

"Yeah," Izuku chuckled, "a lot of people react like that when they first see the manor."

"Did you?"

"Well, I was practically raised out here, so I guess I didn't realize that it was so impressive until I was older?"

"Hm? So wait, how did you end up here?"

"Well, my mom discovered that she had a Quirk before they were illegal, and when the government began taking surveys to track local Heroes down-"

"I'm sorry, but, heroes?"

"Oh, that's something that All Mi… That is, Mr. Yagi suggested. He felt that calling one another Horrors would have a negative psychological impact over time, so instead he encourages us to call one another Heroes. After all, it's not like having a Quirk makes us evil. It all depends on how we use them, right?"

"R-Right," Ochako agreed, a little dazed by the sudden passion flaring in the other teen's eyes. She felt a blush rising in her cheeks as she remembered how he had saved her the day before; obviously, Izuku had really taken Mr. Yagi's words to heart over the years. He was determined to be a Hero, in every sense of the word. "Anyway, you were saying about your mother?"

"Yeah. Mom had a bad feeling about things once the government started to make frequent calls to our house and decided that it was time to leave. So, she took me and ran away in the middle of the night, and eventually managed to find her way here. I was about four years old at the time. We've lived here ever since."

"Wow. So when did you discover your Quirk? What exactly is it, anyway, if that's okay to ask? I haven't really had the chance to talk to other… Heroes before now."

"My Quirk basically lets me enhance all of my physical abilities - speed, strength, balance, coordination, reaction time, and so on. And I was a late bloomer. Like, a really late bloomer. Actually, I thought I was Quirkless for most of my life. I didn't manifest until I was almost fifteen."

"Wow. The first time I made something float, I think I was seven."

"Yeah, like I said; I was late. So, is that your Quirk? Making things float?"

"Oh right, I guess I never said. Habit, I guess."

"Yeah, I get that," Izuku smiled kindly.

"Well, my Quirk basically lets me nullify the gravitational force on anything I touch."

"Including yourself?"

"Yeah, although that wears me out pretty quick."

"Still that's pretty amazing! You can practically fly, although I guess you would have to devise some sort of propulsion device in order to change your direction and speed of travel, and you might have to train your body to handle a zero-gravity environment, the same way that astronauts and pilots build their tolerance against vertigo-"

"Hey, Izuku, I think you're scaring the new girl _kero_."

Izuku startled, blinking in surprise at a girl with long black hair tied in a low ponytail down her back, wearing a cream-colored dress and open sandals that revealed rather strangely-shaped feet, more like flippers than anything. "Oh, hey Tsu. On your way to lunch?"

"Yeah, we were just-"

"Oh my gosh, is that the new girl!?" a voice squealed, and Ochako jumped in surprise as something very pink tackled her in a hug. "It's so good to finally meet you! There were rumors flying everywhere last night since Izuku got back so late and Tokoyami said he saw you go to Miss Chiyo so I was worried that maybe you'd both been hurt and then Izuku showed up to breakfast and you didn't so of course we had to interrogate him and he said you were fine, but I had to see it to believe it, you know? Anyway, I'm so glad you're here; my name's Mina, let's be friends, okay?"

"Uh…" Ochako blinked, struggling to take in pink hair, pink skin, a broad grin, and golden eyes set in black sclera.

"Mina, you shouldn't smother the girl on her first day," sighed a weary voice as the pink girl was tugged off of her. Ochako blinked, still very overwhelmed - Does she have horns sticking out of her hair!? - as a girl with purple-black hair and a thin, but genuine smile extended a hand for her to shake. "Hi. I'm Kyoka."

"O-Ochako," she returned, taking the hand.

"Sorry about Mina; we don't get a lot of new girls, so she was pretty excited."

"I see…"

"Don't worry, _kero_. You'll get used to how things work around here pretty quick," the first girl - Tsu, was it? - assured her.

"Now come on and let's eat already! Lunch Rush made curry today, and we need to get there before Eijiro and Hanta, or there won't be any left for us!" cried Mina, seizing Ochako's hand and dragging her down the hall at a break-neck pace.

"Mina! No running in the halls!" cried a new voice, but Ochako didn't have a chance to see the speaker with how quickly she was being pulled along.

"Hey guys!" Mina shouted as she threw open a pair of double doors that Ochako hadn't fully registered. "Come and meet the new girl!"


	3. Chapter 3

_June 9, XX05_

_"Good morning, Momo."_

_"Papa!"_

_"Well, this is a surprise. What's the occasion?"_

_"Come now, Shota, can't I just stop by to visit my daughter?"_

_"Not when frequent surprise visits could put her and her friend's lives at risk."_

_"Fine, I suppose you've got me there. Mr. Maijima? Come on in."_

_"Well now. New recruits?"_

_"More like refugees, but whatever works for you. Shota, let me introduce you to Higari Maijima, his niece Mei Hatsume, and her friend, Tenya Iida."_

_"Good morning, Mr. Aizawa. It's a pleasure."_

_"Likewise."_

_"Say hello, Tenya, Mei."_

_"It's very nice to meet you, sir."_

_"Hi mister! What was your name again? And yours? Oh, and theirs over there, too!"_

_"Mei, that's Mr. Shota. This is my daughter, Momo, and those are her friends, Shouto and Izuku."_

_"Yeah, I can't remember that."_

_"Mei! Be nice!"_

_"Wha'd'ya mean Tenya? I'm nice!"_

_"Remembering people's names is what's polite!"_

_"So? I'm not good at it!"_

_"I apologise for my friend."_

_"It's okay. We're going to play outside. Wanna come?"_

_"Okay. You're Izuku?"_

_"Mmhm! And you're Tenya!"_

_"Let's just go, please?"_

_"Coming, Shouto!"_

_"Come on, Mei!"_

_"Yeah, okay!"_

.oOo.

June 28, XX19

Too many faces.

_Way _too many faces.

By the time the fifth person had introduced himself or herself to her - accompanied by some sort of addendum from the ever-present Mina - they had melted into a dizzying blur of figures that she couldn't make head nor tail of - literally, in the case of one young man. She hardly even noticed when a familiar voice drew next to her, deflecting the attention of the crowd with a few words, before a gentle hand pressed into the small of her back and guided her to an empty spot at a huge, polished oak table, where a plate of food was already awaiting her.

"You okay?" Izuku asked, sitting beside her.

"I'll live," Ochako replied with a weak, slightly-dazed smile.

"It's shameful, our esteemed colleagues acting in such a manner," came a stern voice. Ochako glanced up towards a remarkably tall young man with black hair, glasses, and sharply angled eyebrows setting his plate down across from her. "I really am most shocked over their behavior; they all know what it's like, feeling so overwhelmed and then suddenly finding themselves set upon by a crowd of over-excited hooligans, and yet they do it anyway! It's a mark on their character and maturity."

"The excitement will die down eventually," came a new voice from her other side. "It's just that it's been almost a year since we had anyone new arrive at the manor." The brunette blinked, surprised, at the tall young woman seated beside her. She looked a little older than Ochako herself, maybe nineteen or even twenty. She was beautiful, too, slender with long black hair tied in an elegant ponytail - two words that Ochako never thought she would put in the same breath - and thoughtful, jet black eyes set over a warm smile. "Hello, Ochako. I'm Momo; it's good to have you."

"It's good to be here," she replied automatically.

"My name is Tenya Iida; it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise. And what's your name?" Ochako added, seeing another young man sit across from Izuku. When he glanced up at her, Ochako couldn't help but stiffen. The boy's were two different colors, - storm gray on the right, and sky blue on the left - but they shared a matching intensity. He had a huge, faded pink scar covering most of the left side of his face, highlighted by his hair, which was a vibrant shade of red on that side, and pure white on the other. It was such an extreme contrast, Ochako couldn't help but wonder if it were a part of his Quirk, or if he had dyed it.

"Shouto," the boy said simply, then turned away again.

"Oh… Good to meet you," she replied uncertainly, worried that she may have offended him.

"Don't mind him," Izuku reassured her. "Shouto's just a little shy."

"I'b nod shh," their dual-toned tablemate protested around a mouthful of his noodles.

"And in denial," the green-haired boy dead-panned, although his eyes sparkled with amusement. Momo and Tenya both snickered as Shouto glared across the table at him, and Izuku finally broke down and laughed when he received a kick to the shin. "Anyway, you should eat before your food goes cold or Hanta finds a way to steal it," Izuku continued, eating a spoonful of his own meal.

"Oh! Right," Ochako squeaked, grabbing her spoon and plunging it into the steaming curry. At the first bite, her eyes widened in amazement. "This is _delicious_," she practically moaned with delight. "I can see why someone'd want to steal it."

"Thank you," Momo practically beamed. "Mr. Rasshu is an excellent chef. I'm very grateful for his loyalty."

"Hm? What d'you mean?"

"Momo's family owns the property, so-"

Ochako actually choked as she spun towards Izuku. "They _what?_" she gasped once she had her breath back.

"Yeah," Momo blushes, fidgeting awkwardly. "Originally, this was intended to be our summer mansion-" _She has more than one?!_ "-but when my parents discovered that I have a Quirk, they chose to use it as a refuge instead. My father is in the government, you see, so he had an inkling of what was about to happen. He falsified my death and sent me to live here, calling on his old friend, Mr. Aizawa, to act as my guardian and help me learn to control my power. Mr. Aizawa is a Hero too, you see, so it was a convenient way to get the both of us to safety."

"A Hero… Oh right, that's the word you use for… for people like me."

"Like _us,_" Momo corrected her gently. "There's hardly a single person living here who _doesn't_ have a Quirk, Ochako. You're not alone anymore."

_I'm not alone._

It seemed like such a foreign concept. She'd always been alone, even when her parents were alive. No one was like her. No friends. No one that could really _understand._ But here, there were literally _dozens_ of people that had been in situations just like hers - perhaps even worse off, with friends or family that had abandoned them. Maybe here, for the first time in her life, she could just… be herself. Be free.

"Yeah, I guess I'm not," Ochako blushed, smiling shyly down at her curry.

"Better finish that quick. Eijiro and Hanta are looking this way," Shouto warns quietly.

"Hm?" Ochako followed his gaze down the table to where two teenage boys - one with spiky red hair and the other with straight black hair - sit side by side, muttering to one another and casting side-ways glances in her direction. Only to stop abruptly when two powerful fists - one oversized and belonging to a redhead about Momo's age and the other silver and connected to a tall young man a little older than that - whacked the two of them upside the head. Ochako snorted. "Who's that?" she giggled, taking another bite of her curry.

"The unkempt red-haired boy is Eijiro, and his adoptive brother Tetsutetsu is standing behind him. Hanta is the black-haired boy, and he was just disciplined by Itsuka, Tetsutetsu's girlfriend," Tenya explained, cleaning up his plate.

"They're dating?" _Whoa. How fast does that kid eat?_

"Mmhm, for a bit less than three years now. We're all just waiting for Tetsutetsu to pop the question. It's funny, in any other situation he's incredibly straight-forward, but around Itsuka he gets all flustered," Momo giggled into her hand.

"That's so sweet," Ochako cooed, glancing over at their joint lecture once again.

"Honestly, I'm surprised it took them so long to figure things out. I think more than anything, Tetsutetsu just had to realize that what he was feeling towards Itsuka wasn't just friendship. Once that happened, they could move forward. Honestly, he can be so clueless at times."

"Reminds me of another pair of clueless people I know," Izuku commented, staring rather deliberately at his plate as he took another spoonful.

"Hm? Who do you-"

Shouto suddenly coughed, choking on his soba, and Tenya immediately began pounding his back with a heavy hand, demanding to know if he was alright. The other boy quickly waved him off, wiping a reflexive tear from one eye, so Ochako decided not to worry about him, instead cocking her head curiously at Izuku, still hoping for an explanation as to his cryptic comment. But, since he didn't seem inclined to elaborate, she instead looked to Momo - only to find that the girl in question had turned a bright shade of red and was staring intently at an intricate knot in the wood of the table.

Huh. Did that mean…?

Wait. If Momo was one half of the 'clueless pair,' then who…?

_No. No way. _

Ochako quickly looked back towards Shouto, who'd gone back to slurping the last of his noodles, maybe a little more loudly than was truly necessary. It was hard to tell if he was blushing because of his scar, but he definitely cast a quick glance in Momo's direction when he thought no one was looking. A small, mischievous smile curled the corners of Ochako's mouth and she hummed thoughtfully as she took another generous bite of curry. Time for a little information gathering.

"So how long have all of you known each other? How did you meet?"

"Hm. I guess it's around thirteen years now, at least on my and Mei's part," Tenya mused. "Although Izuku, Momo, and Shouto have known each other for longer. Has it been fourteen years for you?"

"Just about, yeah."

"Sorry; Mei?"

"Oh, you haven't met her yet. Mei's a bit of a recluse. She's a talented inventor, and tends to spend most of her time in her laboratory."

"You have a laboratory?!"

"We have an entire school," Tenya replied proudly. "Never let it be said that we neglected our educations, in spite of our… unusual circumstances."

"Where do you keep it all?" Ochako gaped, her brain short-circuiting.

"Here in the mansion," Momo piped up, smiling in spite of the color still burning in her cheeks. "We converted the guest bedrooms into dorms, added a great deal of academic literature to the library, and added other supplies to some of the other extraneous rooms to turn them into classrooms."

"What even _is_ your life?!"

"Well, my Quirk helps for some of the more… unusual requests."

"Is it okay to ask what your Quirk is?"

"My Quirk is Creation," Momo replied, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "I can create just about anything, so long as I understand its molecular structure and how it's put together for items with multiple parts. Of course, I have to use the lipids in my own body to do so, and the quality of the items varies depending on familiarity and practice, so it's not an unlimited power."

"Still, that's amazing! How did you figure that out?"

"Izuku's analytical skills helped, as well as Mei's proficiency in the lab. It's really thanks to them that I was able to figure out the nuances of my ability. Honestly, that's been the case with most of us. Izuku has whole notebooks filled with the lab procedures for discovering everyone's Quirks, as well as later details on their applications, their strengths, and even their weaknesses."

"Don't tell her that, Momo! It makes me sound like some kind of mad scientist or something!"

Ochako laughed at the mortified expression on the boy's face. "What about you, Tenya? And Shouto?"

"My Quirk is my legs," Tenya smiled, a note of pride in his voice as he pushed his glasses up his nose. They all talked like that, with pride in who and what they were. "I have engines in my calves."

Ochako blinked at him. "How does that even work? Like, were you born that way, or did they just… appear one day?"

"Well-"

"Hey Shouto, don't think that you can slip away without saying anything!" Izuku interrupted as the other boy rose to his feet, gathering up his dishes.

"My power is fire and ice," Shouto explained simply in his soft, pseudo-monotone.

"So you have _two _Quirks?"

"No. I can only produce fire from the left side of my body, and ice from the right."

"Geez, how are all of your Quirks so OP?" Ochako grumbled. "Physical enhancement, engine legs, elemental powers and creation? All I can do is make things float!"

"You know, the power of a Quirk all depends on how it's used," Izuku pointed out, quietly gathering up his silverware. "I think it was Itsuka who told me that. When I first manifested my Quirk, I pushed myself way harder than my body was ready for, and my scope of its use was far too narrow. I used it recklessly, and as a result, I practically destroyed my right arm," he continued, indicating the terrible scarring she had noticed earlier. Even so, there was a light in his eyes that made her heart beat a little quicker; the same look of calm confidence and understated power that she saw yesterday, when he saved her. It made it hard to concentrate on his words as he continued, "Since then, I've developed greater control and flexibility, and with those things I've been able to draw much more power out of my Quirk. Mirio's ability is like that, too, where he has an inconvenient Quirk that he trained until it became powerful. _That's_ the true secret: taking the hand you were dealt and making it great."

"I… see," Ochako murmured, still a little dazzled by that passion in his eyes. She actually startled when Momo gently nudged her arm, a small, knowing smile touching her lips.

"If you're finished, I'll show you to your room. Then we can talk about attending school here and I can show you around the grounds, if you like."

"Slow down, Momo," Izuku cut in quickly. "She hasn't actually decided whether or not she wants to stay here, yet. I told her that she didn't have to choose right away."

"Oh? Well, regardless, she needs a place to stay. We can't have her sleeping in the clinic every night, now can we? And anyway, I _want_ her to stay, so there's nothing wrong with me giving her a grand tour to convince her, is there?" Momo winked, her dark eyes sparkling. Ochako giggled at her enthusiasm, a kind of warmth expanding in her chest like a balloon.

She was wanted.

"Sounds like fun. Let's do it."

**Author's Note:**

Forewarning: the little flashbacks at the beginning of each episode are NOT necessarily in chronological order! I promise there is method to my madness, however! I spent a whole week creating a timeline for them and the dates written at the top of each are accurate.


	4. Chapter 4

_June 3, XX04_

_"We now continue our coverage of the recent riots downtown yesterday that erupted during an Horrors Rights protest outside of city hall. The protest was organized in response to a ruling that gave a fifteen year-old boy a life sentence for killing a man in what he claimed was self-defense. The boy possessed a strength-enhancing Quirk that allowed him to easily overpower his opponent, leaving him with horrific injuries. An ambulance was called, but the man's heart stopped on the way to the hospital and he could not be resuscitated. We now go to Yoshi Ogino with details."_

_"The protestors became increasingly aggressive as other citizens came to watch the scene, forcing police to step in. It is unclear who first started trading blows, but there have been a number of serious injuries and multiple casualties, including one man with burns covering his body, caused by a man with a fire-breathing Quirk that was killed in the fighting…"_

.oOo.

June 28, XX19

"So then, this is where you'll be staying. I hope you don't mind roommates; Tsuyu and Mina have the other two beds."

Ochako gaped as she stepped inside the 'dorm room'. It seemed a pretty poor description when the room was about the size of her entire _apartment_ back in the city, but Momo seemed convinced that the space was rather modest. There were three extra large twin beds, one of which was covered in a light green bedspread with yellow sheets and a frog face pillow, and the other with hot pink polka dots on a black background with black-beaded and lighter pink pillows. The third appeared undecorated, with an unadorned white blanket and down pillow and plain white sheets folded and laid on top."This is incredible," she mumbled, her mind utterly blown.

"I hope you'll find it comfortable," Momo smiled, looking a little bashful. "Tell me Ochako, what's your favorite color?"

"Huh? Pink. And green," she added as an after-thought, glancing around the room.

"Wonderful! Any particular shade?"

"What? Um… I guess I like lighter pinks, and kind of darker greens? Like the color of the forest."

"Alright, then," Momo mused thoughtfully, then shamelessly tugged up her shirt.

"Bwah! What are you-" Ochako stopped, staring in amazement as the skin on Momo's stomach glowed and she drew forth a pair of dark green jeans and a simple, pink cotton shirt, along with a set of plain white undergarments.

"I had to guess your size, so I hope they fit," Momo mused, handing them off to Ochako with a smile. "That door in the corner leads to the bathroom. Go ahead and shower and I'll make up the third bed for you. There are clean towels on the shelf and extra shampoo, conditioner, and soap in the cupboard. Take as long as you want; I imagine that you haven't had a chance to relax and take care of yourself for some time now. Then once you've changed, I'll have a look at how those clothes fit you and we can start planning your wardrobe."

"Th-Thank you," Ochako gaped, accepting the bundle of fabric, "but, are you sure that this is… okay?"

"Of course it's okay," Momo smiled gently, her eyes incredibly soft as she laid a hand on the younger girl's arm. "You're one of us now, Ochako, and we take care of each other here."

"But you… You don't know anything about me. Why…? I mean…"

"I may not know you very well yet, but that doesn't matter. You're my friend, Ochako. That's all I need to know."

_A friend._

Ochako wouldn't cry. She _wouldn't _cry. "I'm… gonna go shower," she mumbled, blinking rapidly.

"I understand. Off you go."

"Thanks, Momo."

"Anytime."

The hot water did wonders for Ochako's state of mind and body. Although Miss Chiyo's Quirk had healed all of the bruises and scratches dotting her body, there was a residual ache in all of her muscles, not to mention the fact that she hadn't had time to wash herself up in so much as a stream in over a week, and she hadn't had access to shampoo in over a month.

So she indulged, slowly massaging her scalp with both hands, letting her mind go blank as the hot water spilled over her body. For the first time in weeks, she allowed herself to fully relax, to believe that she was really safe as she worked the vanilla-scented body wash into a lather across her arms and legs, dislodging the tiny particles of dirt that had encrusted her skin. It was truly a relief, to be able to forget about time and lose herself in the warmth and the rush of the water, to wash away the grimy reminder of her terror, and then to step out and wrap herself in a huge, fluffy pink towel and pretend that none of it had ever existed. About an hour after she'd first stepped into the shower, once she'd tousled her brown hair mostly-dry and changed into the new clothes that Momo had created for her - they were a pretty good fit; the sport's bra was just a little tight across the chest and the pants were a little loose around her waist - Ochako hung up the towel and stepped outside.

"Hello, Ochako. I hope you're feeling a bit better?"

"Yes, thank you. I-" Ochako stopped short, her eyes blowing wide. Momo smiled and stepped aside.

"Do you like it?" she asked bashfully, indicating the bed with one hand.

The white blanket from before had been covered by a white duvet decorated with a print of soft pink roses surrounded by dark green leaves. The pillow was covered by a matching pillowcase, and surrounded by two others: one round and pink with lace around the edges and one a dark green square with a pattern of silver beads in the shape of a rose. "Momo… this is too much."

"Is it? I'm sorry, maybe my sense of aesthetic is a little overwhelming. I mean, I did think you looked like a practical girl, so I suppose I should have considered that you might like something more simple-"

"No, Momo I… I mean," Ochako sniffled, scrubbing at her eyes before rushing forward and throwing her arms around the taller girl's waist, "_thank _you. Thank you so much; it looks wonderful!"

Slowly, Momo relaxed, wrapping her in a tight hug. "You're welcome," she murmured gently. "Now, shall we look into getting you some new clothes?"

It took several hours to complete Ochako's wardrobe, in part because it took awhile to convince Momo that she didn't need ten skirts on top of ten different pairs of pants, and in part because the older girl needed to take a break and eat in order to replenish her Quirk. Finally, armed with three new pairs of jeans in different washes as well as sets of pink, black, and maroon pants, two simple skirts, ten fitted t-shirts of various colors, five nicer blouses, two sets of pajamas, a few work-out outfits, three pairs of shoes, and properly-sized undergarments, Ochako insisted that she had enough, and Momo relinquished.

"Still, if you need _anything, _you will let me know won't you?"

"For the fifth time, _yes,_ Momo. But I really don't need more than this."

"Well, fine. Then how about personal hygiene products? Brushes? Straighteners or curlers? Shampoos?"

"A brush and hair dryer would be nice, but otherwise I'll just take whatever everyone else uses. I'm really not picky."

"Alright, then! Do you prefer a fine comb or wire or-"

"Whatever you use is fine."

"How about make-up?"

"I don't really wear any."

"Personal effects? Art supplies, musical instruments, books, and so on?"

"You can make that too?!"

"To an extent, yes. I'm not very good at the latter two, I'm afraid. I think I need to familiarize myself more with instruments in order to increase the quality of the ones I make, and unless I have a book completely memorized, I can't guarantee that the content will be complete, nor that it will be accurate, but my father will make orders and send things to us from time to time."

"I… I'm not sure I'm ready to ask for anything beyond the basics, for now."

"Well then, how about a journal?"

"A journal?"

"Yes. I've noticed that it helps."

"Helps what?"

"Helps you work through things until you're willing to ask others to help you." Ochako blinked, surprised by the sudden glow of sympathy, the sad curl to Momo's smile. The older girl gently reached out to take her hand. "I can't help but notice that you've been putting on a brave face ever since you arrived, Ochako. I won't ask you to talk about it, but just know I'm here whenever you're ready."

_Oh no._

Ochako could feel her throat closing up, heat pricking at the corners of her eyes. She quickly lowered her gaze from Momo's obsidian-black pools, fighting to keep her breathing steady.

_I won't cry. I won't cry. I won't cry._

As though she could read her mind, Momo quickly scooted forward on the bed, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close so that she could rest her head on the taller girl's shoulder. Ochako's fingers curled into the duvet cover, her body tense and trembling as she held her breath in the hope that it would somehow allow her to reset her emotions and move on as though none of this had happened. And anyway, she couldn't risk ruining Momo's blouse. I was a pretty one. A lovely crimson color. Probably satin, or even silk. If she just kept breathing, then she would be able to keep things together

"It's okay to cry, you know," Momo murmured. "None of us are strangers to loss here."

Ochako shook her head. She wouldn't cry. Crying meant that she was sad. That she was angry. That she was afraid. That she was all these emotions that she didn't want to feel. Emotions that she _couldn't_ feel if she wanted to keep everyone safe. Crying was selfish, and so she wouldn't do it.

Eventually, Ochako managed to pull herself back together, her hand relaxing from its fist, and she felt Momo release a resigned sigh in response. "Izuku is so much better at this than I am," the older girl muttered, more to herself than anything, as she pulled back. Ochako cocked her head curiously at her, but Momo just shook her head, a rueful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Anyway, about that journal…"


	5. Chapter 5

_June 23, XX05_

_"Hey, Shouto, want to come play with me and Momo?"_

_"No."_

_"Okay."_

_"…Aren't you going to play with Momo?"_

_"Hm. Maybe."_

_"Then go away."_

_"I think I wanna stay here."_

_"…"_

_"What?"_

_"Why can't you just go?"_

_"I wanna stay with you."_

_"I want you to leave me alone!"_

_"I know."_

_"You're annoying."_

_"I am?"_

_"Yes! I told you to go away, so why are you still-! What… what are you doing?"_

_"You need a hug."_

_"W-Why…?"_

_"You're crying."_

_"I… I am…?"_

_"Yeah. But Mama says that's okay. Everybody cries sometimes. It just means you need a hug, but you don't know how to ask for one."_

_"…"_

_"Shouto?"_

_"What."_

_"Can I be your friend?"_

_"…Okay."_

.oOo.

June 29, XX19

Ochako slept fitfully that night. Maybe it was because she'd overslept the day before. Maybe it was because she stayed up too late for Mina's "obligatory roommate interrogation". Maybe it was because she'd skipped dinner, not having felt up to another human circus. Or maybe it was because she finally had time to process all of the horrible things that had happened to her in the last two months. Whatever the reason, when she jerked awake the next morning at 5:38am, breathing heavily and heart racing for no apparent reason, she decided that it wasn't worth trying to force herself to go back to sleep.

Groaning softly, she pushed herself upright, glancing idly towards her two roommates. Mina lay half-in, half-out of her covers, her mouth wide open and her arm flopped over the side of her bed as she snored softly. It was kind of cute, like the stereotypical way most cartoon characters slept. Tsu, on the other hand, had curled up in a tight little ball under her blankets, clutching her froggy pillow to her chest, her face tucked down in the covers so that Ochako could just make out her eyes, while the occasional sleepy kero escaped her throat. She looked like a newborn baby, in a way. It was very sweet.

Rubbing the salt from the corners of her eyes, Ochako slid out of bed and walked over to the window, gazing aimlessly out into the brightening sky. At this time of the year, the sun came up promptly at 6:00am, which gave "rising with the sun" an entirely new meaning. The brunette leaned quietly against the sill, thinking back to her early-bird mother. She'd always been the type who was most productive in the wee hours of the morning, whether that was working on one of her sewing projects, or getting flashes of inspiration for her next book, or just preparing for the rest of the day. Ochako would usually wake up to the smell of her cooking, then scramble to get ready and snatch her lunch box from the counter, snagging a kiss on the forehead on her way out the door to catch the bus. She missed that. She missed a lot of things.

Like walking to the construction site, hand in hand with her mom to bring dad his lunch. He was always forgetting things at home. His lunch, his wallet, his keys. Her mom used to hand whatever the item might be to him and remark that he would forget his head if it wasn't attached to his body. He would always act offended at first, but then a smile would quirk the corners of his mouth, and he'd kiss her cheek before running out the door once again. And also her dad reading novels to her as a child and making up voices for each of the characters. Dancing around the living room and pretending to be a princess. Baseball in the park, her parents cheering for her to run the "bases" - really just frisbees laid out as place-markers - every time she hit the ball, no matter how forcefully she'd managed to do it. And on Saturdays like today, they would go for walks as a family. It never mattered where, whether it was down the street to the local cafe, or driving out to the countryside for a more formal hike. As long as they were together.

On an impulse, Ochako seized her newly-cleaned jacket and map - something Momo had thoughtfully drawn up for her - pulled the garment on over her tank top and shorts, and slipped out the bedroom door.

The manor was quiet as she trotted down the hall, her bare feet silent on the plush carpet. She heard a little noise from a few of the other dorms, but it sounded cautious, like those moving about were also trying to be sensitive to those sleeping in. Ochako shivered as she stepped outside, the cool breeze off the lake taking what was left of her bed's warmth from her cheeks. Even though the sun was rising, it wasn't high enough to provide her with any sort of warmth, and the cool grass under her bare feet sapped even more of her body heat from her. Still, it felt nice. Familiar. So she began to walk aimlessly down the hill, her arms wrapped over her chest, closing her eyes and tilting her head back as she breathed deeply of the cool, fresh air.

"Ochako?"

The girl flinched, flailing slightly and yelping as she over-balanced. A hand grabbed her arm, while another pressed against her back, keeping her upright until she had caught her breath and regained her balance.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to startle you, I just didn't expect to see you up this early, especially since you didn't come to dinner last night! Momo didn't give us details, she just said that you needed more rest and a bit of time, but I was still worried about you; a-are you okay?"

Ochako blinked straight up into a concerned, freckled face. "I-Izuku!" she stuttered, blushing as she became poignantly aware of his proximity to her: the warmth of his hand through the fabric of her jacket, the light pressure of his fingers splayed across the small of her back, the slight tickle as his breath stirred her messy brown hair, - _oh gosh, why didn't I brush that out?!_ \- the soft brush of his gray hoodie against her wrist, and the brightness of his green eyes. "I-I'm so sorry! I should have been paying more attention; I wasn't expecting anyone else to be out this early!"

"Ah, no it's fine! I was just worried that you might be sleep-walking and you might hurt yourself. I mean, with your eyes closed and all."

"O-Oh. Right. Yeah. Sorry!" Ochako squeaked back, her cheeks heating up even further as she realized that she wasn't wearing a bra underneath her jacket. She could only hope that he hadn't noticed. "Yeah, I… I wasn't sleep-walking or anything, I just… I couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind, I guess," she mumbled, trying not to pull away too hastily. "A-Anyway, what brings you out here so early?"

"Oh. Well, I've always been kind of a morning person, so I come out here to jog around the lake every day. It's part of my training."

"Training?" Ochako cocked her head to the side, the heat in her cheeks calming down now that there was a little more distance between them.

"Yeah. For my Quirk."

"You train your Quirk?"

"Of course! Quirks are just like muscles. The more you use them, the stronger they get!"

"But why… Uh…" Ochako trailed off, suddenly realizing that the thought that had occurred to her might not be polite to ask.

"Why what?"

"It's nothing. Nevermind."

"No, what were you going to say?" Izuku insisted.

"Just… Why… Why would you want to make your Quirk stronger?" Ochako finally mumbled, eyes downcast, fidgeting awkwardly. In her world, Quirks put a target on your back. The stronger they were, the more difficult they were to hide, and the more likely you were to lose the people closest to you.

Like she did.

"Hm. I guess it's because the stronger I get, the more people I can protect."

Ochako's head snapped up, her eyes wide as she stared at Izuku. Protect…? He smiled back at her, his eyes earnest and bright, and made even more startlingly green as the first rays of sunlight slipped over the mountain peak and illuminated them further. It was invigorating… and yet somehow terrifying, like standing at the edge of a cliff with no fence, the danger awakening each and every one of your senses tenfold.

Honestly, how could anyone wear their emotions so openly?

"Ochako? Are you okay? You're really red; you don't have a fever do you?" Izuku frowned reaching up to place the back of his hand against her forehead.

"Uh- No! No, I'm fine, I promise," she squawked, taking a step back. Jeez, what is wrong with me?!

"S-Sorry, did I… Did I make you uncomfortable?" he asked, his expression crumpling, and with it her heart.

"No! No, of course not, you… I… I can't imagine you doing anything that could make me uncomfortable. It's just… This is all so new to me. Back in the city, I had to be really careful about the image I presented. I couldn't afford to look like a sympathizer. I had to control my reactions whenever anyone mentioned Quirks, or Horror or called me evil even without realizing it. I was terrified that I might activate my power by accident; I even got into the habit of keeping my pinkies lifted, since it only seemed to activate when I used all five fingers. I did practice, but it was only out of necessity, so that I could learn to control it, and anytime I did I had to lock myself in the bathroom just in case we had any unexpected visitors. And even then… Even then, all it took was one stupid mistake," Ochako whispered, scrubbing back the tears that threatened to overwhelm her carefully-crafted veneer of composure. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I said all that. It just kind of… spilled out."

Ochako stiffened, startled as she was suddenly enveloped by Izuku's warmth. He felt… soft. Not literally, - his scarred hands were actually heavily calloused - but there was something about him that just exuded gentleness, and softly urged for her to let go of all of the emotions she'd kept bottled up for so long. "Never apologize for letting yourself be vulnerable," he murmured alongside her ear. "It's a show of strength, not weakness. Don't ever forget that, okay, Ochako? It's okay to hurt. And anyway, of anyone in the world, don't you think we can understand?"

_Oh no. No, no, not again._

She could feel the tears bubbling up once more. Her body started to tremble, while at the same time her arms lifted around him so that her fingers could curl into the fabric of his gray hoodie, almost instinctively seeking support as a few hot, salty droplets squeezed past her tightly-shut eyelids.

_Don't cry, don't cry, don't-_

Her breath hitched sharply in surprise, her eyes flying open once more, as Izuku's hand gently trailed up and down her back, rubbing it soothingly the same way her mother used to when she came home from school upset over something Hayami Saito had said about Horrors.

_Mom… Dad… I…_

The urge to cry welled up once more, and this time, the tears refused to be contained. The first sob spilled past her lips without warning. By the second, she'd managed to bury her face against Izuku's shoulder, muffling the sound in the fabric of his sweatshirt, but the dam had burst.

Ochako clung to Izuku as though he were her lifeline, her fingers digging into his back as her body was wracked by huge, ugly sobs that caused her nose to run and her knees to buckle, but he didn't seem to mind. He just pulled her closer, his arms tightening as though he could share some of his strength with her. She was grateful that he didn't try to tell her it would be okay, nor even that things would get better. He just held her, his embrace warm and secure, his presence gentle and comforting, and somewhere in the back of Ochako's mind, she felt something wet fall against the back of her neck and realized that he was crying, too. A weak, warbly smile crinkled the skin around her eyes even as another sob hitched her shoulders.

It would seem that Momo was right. Izuku really was good at this.


	6. Chapter 6

_July 12, XX05_

"_Kero, kero."_

"_I know, little Froppy. It'll be okay, I promise, just wait a bit longer. C'mon, phonebook, don't fail me now. Eraser, where are you?! This should be the right address, shouldn't it?"_

"_Hey, you there!"_

"_Crap. Yes officer?"_

"_What's that you've got there?"_

"_What, this bundle across my chest? It's a baby carrier; marvelous invention, isn't it? Puts my daughter right to sleep!" _

"_Your daughter, eh?"_

"_That's right!"_

"_I imagine she looks like you, then? Mind if I take a look? My own daughter is about that age."_

"_Ah… You know, it is naptime, so I'd rather not shift her about too much…"_

"_A quick peek, can't hurt, can it?"_

"_Well… Uh… Heh. How long have you known?"_

"_Mint green isn't exactly a common hair color, Emi Fukukado."_

"_Riiight. I guess I should have remembered that famous comedians have a hard time keeping a low profile. Well boys, it's been fun, but I should really be getting this little one out of this toxic environment. Violent games poisoning society and all that… Ohhh…"_

"_You're not going anywhere, Ms. Fukukado."_

"_So it would seem. But you know what's funny?"_

"…_What?"_

"_Absolutely nothing!"_

"_Ha. Hahahaha!"_

"_Bwahaha!"_

"_Heheheheh!"_

"_What… What's wrong with all of you?!"_

"_Ah, that's just my secret weapon is all. You see, I love making people laugh so much, I think God decided to make it impossible to resist my jokes."_

"_You mean… You're a- Oof!"_

"_Yep! Concerned neighbor, comedian, martial artist… and an unregistered Horror. Well, it's been fun, guys, but I've gotta go! Now where the heck is that droopy-eyed sparring partner of mine?"_

.oOo.

June 29, XX19

"Well?"

Ochako stared blankly at the eager, golden eyes and cheeky grin that greeted her the moment she'd slipped back into the bedroom. "Huh?"

"Well…?" Mina repeated, her grin broadening, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Well what?" Ochako frowned, exasperated. She was too emotionally fried to try to decipher Mina's waggling eyebrows and meaningful expression.

"Well, what's going on with you and Izuku?!"

"Wh- Huh?!" Ochako squawked, feeling her cheeks light up like a bonfire.

"Eeee! Look at that blush! I knew something must be going on! I told you so, didn't I Tsu?! I told you they looked pretty cozy yesterday, and outside together just now!? You sure move fast Ochako; you'll have to teach me your ways! And goodness, who knew that Izuku was such a romantic? Rescuing a damsel in distress and falling in love at first sight?! Ooh, it's like something out of a romance novel!"

"Wh- You saw… Mina, it wasn't… We're not… It wasn't like _that!_" Ochako wailed, hiding her face in her hands. Oh God, why hadn't she thought of that?! Who else had seen Izuku holding her while she ugly-cried for nearly two straight hours?!

"Oh _please,_ I know I'm only fourteen, but I know love when I see it!" Mina laughed, looking indecently pleased with herself as she flopped back onto her bed, grinning broadly. "So are you two official? Can I tell everyone that you're dating?"

"Give her a break, Mina. She said it wasn't like that, _kero. _She's just been through a tough situation, and you know Izuku always tries to help the new people work through stuff," Tsu pointed out calmly, stepping out of the bathroom with her hair and body wrapped in a pair of dark green towels.

"Exactly! Izuku's just a nice person!" Ochako seized upon the other girl's comment gratefully, wondering why she felt a twinge of disappointment at the thought.

"Well yeah, goes without saying, but I've never seen him hug anyone like _that._ I'm telling you, he likes her!"

Ochako released another undignified squeak, wanting nothing less than for the ground to open up beneath her feet and drop her into the void.

"Even so, you're making her uncomfortable_, kero. _Anyway, you should shower quick while there's still hot water."

"Ooh, right! Thanks, Tsu! But don't think that this conversation is over, Ochako! I want all the details later!"

Ochako trudged over to her own bed as Mina disappeared into the bathroom, slumping down onto it with a weak groan.

"Hey." The brunette glanced up into Tsu's concerned face, her head tilted slightly to one side as her oversized fingertip rested against her chin. "Are you okay, Ochako? Your eyes are really red_, kero._"

"Heh. And here I was hoping the fact that Mina didn't say anything meant it wasn't too obvious."

"Mina tends to get a one-track mind when she's excited. So? What happened?"

"Nothing, really. Things kind of just hit me all at once. I… actually feel a lot better now that it's all out in the open. Just really tired."

"Yeah, that's not unusual, _kero. _It might hit you again at some point, but I am glad you were able to open up. That's the first step to really process what's happened, you know?"

"Yeah," Ochako agreed slowly. "What's your story, if that's okay to ask?"

"Hm. Well honestly, I don't remember much, _kero._ I've had my Quirk since I was born, so the Quirk Hunters Office knew about me from the start. When Quirks were made illegal, they came to my house and tried to take me from my parents before I was even two. But, lucky for me, one of our neighbors was also a Hero, and she rescued me and eventually brought me here."

"Is she still here?"

"Yep, _kero. _Her name is Emi Fukukado, but we all call her Ms. Joke."

"That's an odd name…?"

"She was a comedian before she rescued me. Plus it kind of fits her Quirk."

"I see… So you were brought here as a baby. Izuku mentioned that he came here when he was really young, too."

"_Kero. _Yeah, a lot of us came here when we were kids, especially those of us that look… different, as a result of our Quirks. Izuku's a special case though, since it wasn't his Quirk but his mom's that brought him here."

"I'd like to meet her," Ochako murmured thoughtfully. "Izuku's mom, I mean. Well, Ms. Joke, too, I guess. And everyone else, now that I think I'm rested enough to handle a crowd."

"I'm sure you'll get your chance soon enough," Tsu replied with a faint, knowing smile.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see."

"That tells me absolutely nothing," the brunette frowned back as Tsu walked to her dresser and began rummaging around for her clothes.

"Like I said: you'll see. By the way Ochako, is it okay if I ask you something for the sake of my own curiosity?"

"Huh? Sure."

"_Do_ you like Izuku?"

Ochako felt her cheeks flush all over again while her hands flailed in front of her face. "What the- Where is this coming from?! I told you it wasn't like that!"

"I know. _Kero. _Like I said, it's just my own curiosity. I mean, Izuku's a great guy, you know? He's nice, strong, brave, and super caring. He's really the main reason why so many of us have been able to work through as much of our trauma as we have, _kero, _but he tends to be self-sacrificing to a fault."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean Izuku's the kind of person that would destroy his own arms to save a complete stranger," Tsu replied, a strange glint entering her eyes. It seemed like a mixture of sadness and pride.

"Is… Is that what happened to him? With all those scars on his arms?"

"Yeah. There was a family with multiple Heroes targeted by the government, and Izuku led the team to rescue them. _Kero._ Everyone made it back okay, but it was still scary, seeing Mezo carrying him back unconscious with both of his arms shattered."

There was a lot running through Ochako's head in that moment. How had that happened, what did Tsu mean when she talked about rescue teams, and who the heck was Mezo for starters, but none of those dominated her mind. "After the risk he took to save me, I can believe it. He really is amazing, isn't he," she murmured, smiling sadly down at her hands.

"Yeah, he is," Tsu replied, and Ochako's head snapped back up at the smile in her tone. The frog girl was watching her contemplatively, her finger resting on her chin once again, her lips turned slightly upwards.

"Tsu! I told you, it's not like that!"

Tsu's smile widened, but it didn't look like the schemer's smirk that Mina had been sporting. Just an all-too-innocent smile. "I understand, _kero. _I guess only time will tell, but if you _do _ever end up dating him, take care of him for us, okay?"

Ochako groaned, dropping her face into her hands once again. _God, why can't I stop blushing?_

"Hey, how about you get dressed, then when Mina's out of the bathroom, you can wash your face and we'll head to breakfast?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that sounds good," Ochako sighed back, letting her hands drop away as she turned her attention to her new task. _It isn't like that. I mean, I barely know him!_ Still, as Ochako remembered the tears that Izuku shed with her and the sensation of his warmth around her, not even she could deny that the heat in her face refused to die away.


End file.
